Taylor squinted for a moment. “I think so. I don’t think you should feel guilty about taking advantage of an opportunity. Not everyone gets the same opportunities, but you take them when they come along and you hope for the best.”
“That’s it,” I said.
“What?”
“I remember after my last surgery I promised that I was going to help other women like myself who need surgery or medical procedures, but can’t afford it. I’m going to set up a foundation to help them.”
“I think that is a wonderful idea,” Taylor said.
“Yeah, I remember that I was so determined to do it before and then… somehow it just got lost in my mind.”
“Well, you were focused on Ted and bringing him to justice. You made the world a safer place by getting a cretin like that off the streets and behind bars where he belongs. Now, you can do this. Everything has its own natural course to follow, honey.”
“You’re right,” I said.
“Yeah, Patrick is very close to getting that grant to set up that training program in universities across the country. Since you’ve gone public with everything, he says that things are really changing rapidly. In a few years everyone will have access to this type of surgery. And thanks to people like you, they will be able to afford it as well.”
I sat back in my chair and smiled. Taylor always had such a way of putting things in perspective. “Do you believe certain things are meant to be?”
“Like Karma?” Taylor asked.
“Yeah… maybe… I don’t know what you want to call it, but do you believe that some things—even bad things—happen for a definite reason.”
“Like there is a plan for everything?” Taylor thought a moment. I loved to watch him when he was deep in thought. His forehead wrinkled up, his sexy lips would purse, and he would often make a tiny humming noise. It was adorable. “I wouldn’t rule it out.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “I know you are ‘Mr. Science’”, I said. “But I do believe that some things are not coincidental. I mean, look at the horrible thing that happened to me, but for all of the great things I have in my life now, that had to happen first. I wouldn’t have the boys, I wouldn’t have met you, and I wouldn’t have been inspired and committed to helping these people who so desperately need it.”
Taylor nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like it was meant to be to me.”
And I could tell he was serious when he said it. I reached out and touched his hand warmly. “I love you.”
“I love you, so much more,” Taylor said.
“Now, that is just not even a thing,” I teased.
“Sure it is. You might love me, but there is a whole other realm of love possibility. It’s beyond infinity even because it’s part of a different universe.”
I couldn’t hide my laughter. “Wow, you are such a nerd.”
“That’s one of the things you love most about me, right?” Taylor asked. “My big brain?”
“Sure… we can call it your big… brain,” I giggled.
Taylor was laughing now as well. Both of the twins were now fast asleep. Luckily they stayed asleep all the way back to our room. Taylor carried Nicki, and I carried Alex.
“Wow, the trip tired them right out,” Taylor said after I closed the door to their room.
I followed him into the kitchen where he poured us each a glass of wine.
“Yeah. I just hope they sleep through the night without any issues,” I said. The twins could often get fussy and have trouble sleeping. Usually one would wake up and be bored, so he’d wake up his brother. And then they were a total terror to put back to bed.
“I think they’ve adjusted to everything beautifully,” Taylor said.
He was right. It had been a bit tough on them when they realized their dad would be going away. And then they’d had to get used to Taylor and to the realization that I was not only going to be around them from now on (because they knew me as their nanny), but that I was actually their mother. After about six weeks they started calling me mommy all the time. It was music to my ears. I could only imagine the depths of neglect and damage that had been done to them by their psychopathic father. I just hoped that it wasn’t too bad, or at least not far enough that I would never be able to undo it with constant love and nurturing.
But both boys had taken to Taylor right away. They loved his easygoing manner and the way that he always made them feel safe and secure. And Taylor loved them as well, just as if they were his own kids. It was the most beautiful thing to watch.
Sitting there sipping wine and talking with my husband I began to feel so warm, so safe, and so thankful. I meant what I told him earlier. As strange as it was to admit I was thankful for everything that had happened. I was thankful that I’d met Ted, that he’d lied to me, and even that he’d tried to murder me. All of it brought Taylor into my life. I wouldn’t be the happiest woman in the world right now if it hadn’t happened exactly the way that it did. I’ve never been religious, but when it came right down to it I would not let myself believe that all of the things that I’d been through in my life had not prepared me to live happily right here and now.